Coupling-uncoupling means using a lever operated by an axle-mounted disc

ABSTRACT

A coupling system for coupling and uncoupling toy rail vehicles, which comprises a control disc fixedly connected to an adjacent wheel axle of the vehicle, and also comprises a control lever operatively connected to a coupling section pivotally supported by a shaft fixedly connected to the vehicle. A spring arm fixed to the lever has a rounded head which under a slight pressure engages one of the end wall portions of the control disc which latter has a guiding groove or the like in which the rounded head of the spring arm moves from one side of the control disc to the other side and vice versa pivoting the lever and coupling section in response to a change in the driving direction of the respective pertaining railroad vehicle. The arrangement is such that when changing the driving direction from pushing to pulling, the pivotably supported coupling section remains in its coupled position, and when changing from pulling to pushing, the pivotally supported coupling section is for a certain road distance adjusted to its uncoupling position.

ilnite States Patent Ernst May20, 1975 [76] Inventor: Max Ernst, Lahengrinstr. 14,

Nuremberg, Germany 22 Filed: Jan. 31, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 438,477

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 1, 1973 Germany 2304861 [52] U.S. CI. 213/75 TC; 46/216; 46/221; 74/54 [51] Int. Cl A63h 19/18 [58] Field of Search 46/216, 217, 218, 221; 213/75 TC Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter Becker [57] ABSTRAiCT A coupling system for coupling and uncoupling toy rail vehicles, which comprises a control disc fixedly connected to an adjacent wheel axle of the vehicle, and also comprises a control lever operatively connected to a coupling section pivotally supported by a shaft fixedly connected to the vehicle. A spring arm fixed to the lever has a rounded head which under a slight pressure engages one of the end wall portions of the control disc which latter has a guiding groove or the like in which the rounded head of the spring arm moves from one side of the control disc to the other side and vice versa pivoting the lever and coupling section in response to a change in the driving direction of the respective pertaining railroad vehicle. The arrangement is such that when changing the driving direction from pushing to pulling, the pivotably supported coupling section remains in its coupled position, and when changing from pulling to pushing, the pivotally supported coupling section is for a certain road distance adjusted to its uncoupling position.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COUPLING-UNCOUPLING MEANS USING A LEVER OPERATED BY AN AXLE-MOUNTED DISC The present invention relates to a device for uncoupling couplings of toy railroads which couplings are adapted, preferably by upward pivoting, to be coupled and uncoupled. More specifically, the present invention refers to a device as set forth in the preceding sentence, which is equipped with a control disc provided on a wheel axle adjacent to the mounting of one cou pling section, and is furthermore equipped with a control lever arranged in the range of moment of said control disc and is pivotable on the vehicle. This control disc and control lever are adapted in response to a change over of the driving direction from pushing to pulling to leave the coupling in its coupled position, and when changing the direction of driving from pulling to pushing to adjust the coupling section for a certain path to its uncoupling position.

With couplings for toy railroads adapted to be moved into coupling and uncoupling position by pivoting of a coupling section upwardly, it is known, to provide preferably at the coupling section of the vehicle or train section equipped with a drive, to provide an auxiliary device which briefly shifts upwardly from pulling to pushing for a short path the coupling section arranged on the vehicle equipped with a drive so that when reducing the driving speed of the vehicle or train section equipped with a drive, a vehicle or train section pushed by this vehicle or train part is uncoupled while initially retaining its speed. When changing the driving direction from pushing to pulling, these devices must not respond in order to avoid an undesired uncoupling of the respective vehicle or train part coupled to the train. Such uncoupling devices are above all intended in combination with a switching locomotive to carry out a switching operation.

A simple heretofore known device for carrying out an uncoupling when changing the driving direction from pulling to pushing consists in a drag lever which is either with an L-shaped groove pivotally mounted on a pin provided on a coupling part or on a coupling section itself or which by means of a pin is mounted in an L-shaped groove on an uncoupling part or on the coupling section. The said pin is adapted in response to a change in the driving direction from pulling to pushing to spread into the track and brings about an upward pivoting of the coupling section, whereas in response to a change in the driving direction from pushing to pulling is dragged without lifting the coupling section. While this device has a relatively few elements, it has the drawback that it does not operate reliably at all times and that above all only a short path is available in which the driving vehicle has to be braked in order to bring about an uncoupling of the vehicle or train part to be uncoupled and pushed away.

According to another heretofore known device, of the type involved, a lever is frictionally mounted on that wheel axle of the vehicle which is adjacent to the mounting of the coupling.

This lever is adapted in response to a change in the driving direction from pulling to pushing by means of a lever arm periodically to bring the respective coupling section to its uncoupling position and in response to the pulling of the vehicle to hook onto said lever arm. Also in this instance only a short time period or path is available for the uncoupling of the lifted train part. On the other hand, this device has the drawback that for instance when pushing a train on a downwardly inclined path, an undesired uncoupling of the pushed train part occurs, and that in view of the uncoupling lever frictionally engaging the wheel axle, during the pulling operation considerable power is required for driving, which means that a great power loss occurs.

According to a device which is rather similar to the device set forth above, the lever frictionally engaging the wheel axle adjacent to the mounting of the coupling consists of a control disc with an approximately semicircular contour which control disc is adapted by means of a pin parallel to the wheel axle to be brought into abutment with a pivot stationarily arranged on the vehicle. Into the path of movement of this control disc there extends one arm of a two-arm lever which is pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft of the coupling shaft. The other arm of this two-arm lever catches below the coupling section adapted to be pivoted upwardly. When changing the driving direction from pulling to pushing, however, the coupling section is pivoted upwardly for the duration of halfa revolution of the wheel axle so that in this time interval or path interval, an uncoupling cannot take place during the reduction in speed of the driving vehicle. While with this uncoupling device the interval in which an uncoupling may occur is increased over the time period referred to in the preceding paragraphs, it is also in. this instance disadvantageous that a power loss occurs in view of the frictional mounting of the reversing disc mounted on the wheel axle, when driving in both driving directions.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an uncoupling device for a coupling of the above-mentioned general type which will neither during pulling nor during pushing require any material additional power and in which the time or path interval in which the coupling occupies its uncoupling position, can be increased to a considerably greater extent than is possible with the heretofore known devices.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I diagrammatically illustrates the uncoupling device according to the invention and more specifically shows a side view in rest position during pulling of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the uncoupling device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates in side view the uncoupling device of FIGS. 1 and 2 in its uncoupling position during a pushing of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 shows in side view the uncoupling device of FIGS. 1 and 2 in its second rest position during pushing of the vehicle.

FIG. 5 shows in side view the same uncoupling device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, shortly after a changeover from pushing to pulling of the vehicles.

The above outlined object has been realized by an uncoupling device according to the present invention in which the control levers for actuating the coupling are provided with a spring arm which by means of a rounded head slightly presses against one of the end faces of the control disc. Furthermore, the control disc is firmly connected to the wheel axle and the latter is provided with a guiding groove or the like in which the head of the spring arm will in response to a change in the driving direction be shifted over from one end face of the control disc to the other end face.

The guiding groove should form substantially a helical path of at least one complete winding, the ends of which are followed toward bothsides by a weak S or worm shaped groove part up to the hub of the control disc.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the control lever may consist of a lever which is located between and preferably slightly above the wheel axle and the mounting of the coupling and is pivotable about a horizontal axis. One arm of said lever is parallel to the pivot axis and extends below the coupling shaft and in its rest position rests on a pin provided below the coupling shaft.

The spring arm which brings about the reversal or shift over may itself according to a preferred embodiment of the invention consist of a round steel wire, the free end of which is shaped to a loop or eye while its other end is by means of jaws or the like connected to the control lever.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, which illustrates only those parts necessary for the understanding of the invention, the arrangement shown in the drawing comprises the rear portion 1 of the coupling shank which is pivotable in vertical direction about the shaft 2 stationarily arranged in the vehicle. Said rear portion 1 is by means of a tension spring connected to the pin 3 and the pin 4 stationarily connected to the vehicle held in its basic position on the vehicle end. Instead of the illustrated mounting, also any other suitable mounting, for instance a flange mounting in conformity with German Pat. No. 1,294,277 may be provided. The arrangement shown in the drawing furthermore comprises a wheel axle 6 adjacent to the coupling mounting. Fixedly connected to said wheel axle 6 is a control disc 7 which comprises a helical-shaped guiding groove 8 of approximately 1% revolutions. The two ends of this guiding groove 8 are supplemented by slightly S- shaped or worm-shaped groove sections 9 and 9' which continue up to the collar 10 toward the wheel axle, said collar 10 being arranged on both sides of the control disc 7. Control lever means are connected between the control disc 7 and rear portion 1 to move the latter in response to certain movements of the disc. Approximately in the center between the coupling bearing axle 2 and the wheel axle 6 and somewhat above the same, an axle lever 12 of the control lever means is pivotable about the axle 11 which is stationarily arranged in the vehicle. The arm portion 13 of lever 12 which arm portion is angled off by approximately 90 extends slightly ahead of the bearing axle 2 below the coupling shank l and rests in its rest position with its weight upon the pin 14 fixedly connected to the vehicle. Connecting bodies 15 are provided at the rim portions of the substantially square shaped lever part 12. The other part of the control lever means is a spring arm 16 of steel wire and of round cross section. The spring arm is rigidly connected to the connecting jaws 15. This spring arm 16 is rotated approximately in the central plane of the control disc 7 while its head 16' bent so as to form a loop extends to approximately the two collars 10 of the control disc 7. The arrow indicated in the drawings with the Z stands for pulling, and the arrow designated with S stands for pushing the vehicle. The operation of the device will then be as follows: during the driving direction pulling, the control disc 7 with the wheel axle 6 of FIG. 1 rotates in clockwise direction while the head 16 of the spring arm 16 rests under a slight pressure against the front (with regard to FIG. 1) end face of control disc 7. When reversing the driving direction from pulling to pushing, the control disc 7 rotates in counterclockwise direction while now the head 16' of the spring arm 16 moves through the groove section 9 into the helical groove 8 and thus pivots the control lever 12 (with regard to FIG. 3) in clockwise direction, thereby also lifting the coupling shank l of the coupling.

The coupling thus occupies its opening position. This opening position is retained until the head 16' of the spring arm 16 through groove section 9' moves on the rearward end face side of the control disc 7 into a position in which the spring arm 16 again only under slight pressure rests against the rear end face side of the control disc 7. This position of the device is illustrated in FIG. 4. When changing the driving direction from pushing to pulling, it will be ascertained from FIG. 5, that the head 16 of the spring arm 16 will through the groove section 9', groove 8, and groove section 9 again be moved into the position shown in FIG. 1 while the spring arm 16 is strongly bent upwardly whereas the lever 12 remains in its rest position.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the specific showing in the drawing but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for instance the control disc 7 may also be provided with a guiding groove 8 having a plurality of windings for further increasing the disengaging interval, or the control lever 12 with the spring arm 16 may have a different design or may cooperate with the control disc 7 in such a way that it adjusts the coupling by pivoting downwardly into its disengaging position. With a corresponding design and mounting of the control lever 12, the device may be used for uncoupling any desired couplings and also for uncoupling couplings with horizontal coupling and uncoupling movement.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a toy rail vehicle, a coupling system for coupling and uncoupling toy railroad vehicles, said system including a control disc fixedly connected to a wheel axle of said rail vehicle, said control disc having oppositely facing end wall portions, a coupling including a shank having a rear portion pivotally supported by said rail vehicle, control lever means including a lever pivotally supported by said rail vehicle and operatively connected to said rear portion and operable to move said rear portion into a first position in which said coupling is in engaged position and into a second position in which said coupling is in its disengaged position, said control lever means including spring arm means fixed to said lever, said spring arm means having a rounded head portion adapted to be slightly pressed against either one of the end wall portions of said control disc, and said control disc being provided with peripheral guiding means leading from one end wall portion to the other end wall portion of said control disc and slidingly engaging said rounded head, said control disc, through said peripheral guiding means, being operable in response to a change in the direction of rotation of said axle and thereby of said control disc to pivot said control lever means and shank and to shift said head from one of said end wall portions to the other one of said end wall portions.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which in response to a change in the driving direction of said wheel axle from pulling to pushing said control lever means shifts said rear portion into said first position.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said control disc has a hub, and in which said peripheral guiding means includes a substantially helical groove of at least one complete winding and two groove sections respectively connected to end portions of said peripheral guiding means and extending in approximately radial direction up to said hub.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said lever is pivotable about a horizontal axis and located between said wheel axle and said coupling section, said control lever means including an arm extending below said rear portion, and pin means connected to said vehicle for supporting said control lever means in a certain position of the latter representing the rest position of said control lever means.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, in which said arm is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of said control lever means.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said spring arm means includes a steel wire of round cross section having one end bent into a loop forming said rounded head and having its other end rigidly connected to the remainder of said control lever means. 

1. In combination with a toy rail vehicle, a coupling system for coupling and uncoupling toy railroad vehicles, said system including a control disc fixedly connected to a wheel axle of said rail vehicle, said control disc having oppositely facing end wall portions, a coupling including a shank having a rear portion pivotally supported by said rail vehicle, control lever means including a lever pivotally supported by said rail vehicle and operatively connected to said rear portion and operable to move said rear portion into a first position in which said coupling is in engaged position and into a second position in which said coupling is in its disengaged position, said control lever means including spring arm means fixed to said lever, said spring arm means having a rounded head portion adapted to be slightly pressed against either one of the end wall portions of said control disc, and said control disc being provided with peripheral guiding means leading from one end wall portion to the other end wall portion of said control disc and slidingly engaging said rounded head, said control disc, through said peripheral guiding means, being operable in response to a change in the direction of rotation of said axle and thereby of said control disc to pivot said control lever means and shank and to shift said head from one of said end wall portions to the other one of said end wall portions.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which in response to a change in the driving direction of said wheel axle from pulling to pushing said control lever means shifts said rear portion into said first position.
 3. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said control disc has a hub, and in which said peripheral guiding means includes a substantially helical groove of at least one complete winding and two groove sections respectively connected to end portions of said peripheral guiding means and extending in approximately radial direction up to said huB.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said lever is pivotable about a horizontal axis and located between said wheel axle and said coupling section, said control lever means including an arm extending below said rear portion, and pin means connected to said vehicle for supporting said control lever means in a certain position of the latter representing the rest position of said control lever means.
 5. An arrangement according to claim 4, in which said arm is substantially parallel to the pivot axis of said control lever means.
 6. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said spring arm means includes a steel wire of round cross section having one end bent into a loop forming said rounded head and having its other end rigidly connected to the remainder of said control lever means. 